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' H. HUPNAGEL.

GRAPE VINE HAIR. No. 279,389. Patented June '12, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY HUFNAGEL, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GRAPE-VINE HAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,389, dated June 12, 1883.

Application filed May 10, 1883. (Specimens) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY HUFNAGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grape-Vine Hair and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the preparation of a tough vegetable curled fiber which shall closely resemble the curled hair commonly used in upholstering both in its appearance and properties.

It consists in the treatment of the ripened outer bark of grapevine and analogous plants with a strong solution of potash, or its equiv- 2o alent, and in the production thereby of amass of severally and separately curled fibers possessing remarkable elasticity and toughness.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the appearance of a small quantity of the prepared fiber.

In the production of my invention I take' the outer bark of the grape-vine or of kindred plants, after it has become fully matured and ripened by the summers growth of the wood, and I immerse this old bark for five or six minutes in a boiling solution of potash obtained by dissolving two to three ounces of concentrated potash in about one pint Of water. The effect of the potash upon the bark 5 is to dissolve the gums which bind the long fibers of the bark, so that they separate each from the other, and in so separating each fiber contracts or bends into curls or ringlets resembling curled hair. When dry the curled o fiber remains tough and elastic, and from .its

length, strength, resiliency, and superior cleanliness serves as an admirable and superior substitute for animal-hair for all purposes in which elastic curled hair is serviceable.

The strength of the alkaline bath may be largely increased without impairing the efficiency of the fiber treated therein, and the solution is available for use in this connection, notwithstanding repeated immersions of fresh dry bark therein, until it is all exhausted. If the solution be unduly diluted, and thereby weakened, the fiber will not readily curl. The time of immersion may be varied, although the best results are produced when the formula given as above is followed.

For commercial purposes the old growth of the bark which is loosened in the fall or winter months, and is stripped from the vines at the time of pruning, may be gathered and prepared as above, and as the process of treatment is very rapid, and the materials are procurable at low cost, the curled fiber may be very economically produced and be sold at a comparatively low price.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The Within-described process of treating the matured bark of grape-vines and kindred plants by immersion in a hot solution of potash, substantially as specified.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a vegetable curled fiber obtained from the matured bark of grape-vines and kindred plants by its immersion in a hot solution of potash, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: HARRY HUFNAGEL.

A. W. STEIGER, JOHN A. ELLIs. 

